RESEARCHING THE REAL WORLD



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Orientation Observation In-depth interviews Document analysis and semiology Conversation and discourse analysis Secondary Data Surveys Experiments Ethics Research outcomes
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© Lee Harvey 2012–2024

Page updated 8 January, 2024

Citation reference: Harvey, L., 2012–2024, Researching the Real World, available at qualityresearchinternational.com/methodology
All rights belong to author.


 

A Guide to Methodology

8. Surveys

8.1 Introduction to surveys
8.2 Methodological approaches
8.3 Doing survey research
8.4 Statistical Analysis

8.4.1 Descriptive statistics
8.4.2 Exploring relationships
8.4.3 Analysing samples

8.4.3.1 Generalising from samples
8.4.3.2 Dealing with sampling error
8.4.3.3 Confidence limits
8.4.3.4 Statistical significance
8.4.3.5 Hypothesis testing
8.4.3.6 Significance tests

8.4.3.7 Summary of significance testing and association: an example

8.4.4 Report writing

8.5 Summary and conclusion

8.4.3 Analysing samples
In most circumstances research uses samples as entire populations are usually unobtainable. The sample is then used to estimate what the population is like based on the sample data. Sample data is not identical to popultaion data. However, if the data is not biased (and thereby a distorted estimate of the population) the degree of variation between a sample and a population may be estimated and conclusions inferred about the population.

The following sections discuss the issues and processes that are used in inferring population outcomes based on samples.

Next 8.4.3.1 Generalising from samples

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